Death of a Marist

Fr Jean Rodet SM

Fr Rodet SM in front of the building housing his collection of traditional artefacts.

Born:  8 October 1931

Professed: 24 September 1957

Ordained: 25 February 1961

Died: 4 June 2022

Jean Rodet was born in Marboz, Ain, France. He died as the oldest member of the Province of Oceania. 

Jean arrived in Vanuatu in 1961 soon after his ordination. He served in the Vanuatu mission until his death 60 years later. 

He became well known in Vanuatu for his collection of traditional artefacts from the various islands of Vanuatu, including contemporary objects from the 19th and the 20th century. A special building was dedicated for his collection where they are displayed for the public. 

More memorable for the people of Vanuatu was the great love he had for them. The chief and the people of the parish of Unmet where he spent a third of his time in Vanuatu requested that Jean Rodet's body should  be buried in their burial ground and so his funeral and burial took place there. He died aged 90 and  was a Marist for 65 years. 

May he rest in peace.